MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Manchester High head coach Donovan Duckie says his players will now have to overcome psychological as well as physical opponents if they are to revive their daCosta Cup title challenge.

The Mandeville-based school had their egos bruised in mid-week after they suffered their first defeat of the season, losing 0-1 to defending champions Clarendon College in their opening Inter-zone match at the Middlesex International College in May Pen.

Manchester also failed to score for the first time this season — after netting a chart-topping 68 goals in the preliminary phase — which Duckie fears might play on his charges’ psyche going forward.

“We got some opportunities (on Wednesday) that were goals in the preliminary round, so I think the stage is more mental for us now,” he said.

“But we have to refocus and look to the next game because I’ve always maintained that it’s not the first action that defines you, it’s the next one,” Duckie added.

But with Munro College beating Spalding High 3-2 in the zone’s other game on Wednesday, Manchester’s defeat also means they are now playing catch-up in what has been dubbed the ‘group of death’.

Only the top two teams will advance from the group.

Hence, Duckie admits winning their next two games is a must, starting with Munro at home today.

“We lost the first game; it’s good for football and it’s good for the zone. This is the level of competitiveness that is needed to progress to the final. They say this is the group of death, so we have to be more clinical at home and win those two games,” Duckie ended.

Meanwhile, Clarendon College coach Paul ‘Tegat’ Davis says his team is now looking to tighten their grip on their second-round group.

Their next assignment is against Spalding High at Kirkvine, also today, and Davis is mindful of what another win could mean for their short-term goals.

“We want to continue on this trend,” he said, “(and maintain) this momentum because we going for these three points. We need six points to ensure our place in the FLOW Super Cup.”

While a victory over Spalding will not immediately qualify them for the Super Cup — that honour is reserved for the zone winners — it could be enough to book their ticket to the quarter-final round of the daCosta Cup. But only if Munro win or draw their game at Manchester High.